Dhaka – The second day of the nationwide 72-hour road-rail-waterway
blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, was marked by
stray incidents of violence at different parts of the country on
Sunday.
According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, at least 135 people,
including cops, were injured as the blockaders clashed with law
enforcers and the ruling party men.
Besides, over 50 crude bombs were blasted while 55 vehicles either
vandalised or torched and some 30 opposition men arrested on the
second day of the protest programme.
In the capital, opposition activists blasted crude bombs and brought
out processions in different parts, including Uttar Badda, Naya Bazar
and Basabo. Blockaders also set a bus ablaze at Matuailam.
Incidents of violence were also reported from different districts,
including Sylhet, Sunamganj, Jhenidah, Sirajganj, Thakurgaon,
Laxmipur, Chuadanga and Narayanganj.
The third-spell blockade started at 6am Saturday and it will continue
until 6am Tuesday if it is not extended further as done during the
previous two spells.
Besides, a 12-hour shutdown, enforced by city unit BNP, protesting the
arrest of its convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka, passed off amid the
blockade programme on Sunday.
The first day of the blockade was marked by stray incidents like
clashes, arson attacks, bomb blasts and vandalism in different parts
of the country.
After the end of the 131-hour blockade programme protesting the
election schedule, BNP joint secretary general Salauddin Ahmed on
Thursday announced the 72-hour nationwide one through a video message
sent from an undisclosed location.
The opposition combine earlier enforced 202 hours of
road-rail-waterway blockade across the country in two spells -–
71-hour and 131-hour ones — after the announcement of the election
schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections that left at least 45
people dead.
On November 25, the Chief Election Commissioner announced that the
10th parliamentary elections will be held on January 5 next. – UNB
